


Yellow

by ElvenSorceress



Category: High School Musical (Movies)
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gay Rights, Gen, M/M, Same-Sex Marriage, wedding fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-12
Updated: 2009-03-12
Packaged: 2017-11-27 21:02:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/666450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElvenSorceress/pseuds/ElvenSorceress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan has a moment with his dad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yellow

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of feelings when Prop 8 passed. Mostly rageful ones. But I turned them into this. It was written that November.

Ryan smoothed his hands over his jacket as he stared into the mirror, wondering when any of it would feel real. He breathed deeply, hoping to commit everything to memory, and tipped his pale yellow fedora to one side.  
  
At a knock on the door, he turned, expecting his mom or maybe his sister, but his dad appeared in the doorway and pointed towards Ryan’s room. “Hey, son. You mind if I…?”  
  
Ryan smiled and took a step away from the mirror, sliding his hands into his pockets. “No. You can come in.”  
  
Vance closed the door behind him, but stayed near it. “Are you ready?”  
  
Ryan pressed his lower lip between his teeth to contain the grin that threatened to overtake his whole face. “I think so.”  
  
“Nervous?”  
  
“A little worried,” Ryan admitted with a shrug. “I keep thinking something bad will happen or that something will go wrong.”  
  
His dad gestured toward the door. “I’ve got a hundred people out there making sure everything’s perfect.”  
  
With a smile full of warmth and appreciation, Ryan assured, “It doesn’t have to be perfect. I just want it to happen.”  
  
“Your sister would not feel the same way.”  
  
Ryan laughed. “That’s very, very true.”  
  
While smirking, Vance set down a small plastic container and motioned Ryan forward. He loosened the knot of yellow silk at Ryan’s throat even though Ryan was sure his tie had been fine to begin with. But Ryan never protested when his mom fussed with his hair or his shirt collar. He wouldn’t complain if his dad wanted to fix his tie.  
  
Ryan watched the soft lines on his dad’s face, watched the concentration in his eyes even if they never met Ryan’s.  
  
When Vance finished, he placed both hands on Ryan’s shoulders and looked him over. Ryan tried not to seem expectant. He simply stared back and waited.  
  
His dad withdrew his hands and smiled thoughtfully. “When I pictured having a son, I figured I’d have to talk him into this. Or at least calm him down. Maybe offer some reassurance and advice.”  
  
Ryan’s smile faded and he nodded a little. “I’m good,” he said quietly, thinking his dad probably pictured many things differently. “I’ve wanted this for a long time.”  
  
His dad grinned and picked up the plastic box. “I know you have. Did you know that when you were six, you asked me for a wedding dress just like Cinderella’s?”  
  
Ryan’s eyes widened. “I did?”  
  
His dad nodded, opening the box and removing the bright yellow rose that was inside.  
  
Ryan studied his father uncertainly. “What did you tell me?”  
  
“I asked why Cinderella,” he answered, carefully holding Ryan’s jacket as he pinned the flower to the ivory fabric. “You said because you wanted a prince who’d dance with you all night.”  
  
Ryan bit his lip, sure he was turning red.  
  
“I tried to tell you that you were the prince,” his dad said with the same smirk he used when he talked about Sharpay. “But you insisted that you wanted the pretty dress.”  
  
Growing even redder, Ryan looked down and scratched the back of his neck.  
  
Vance took a step backward and inspected Ryan again. “I think the tuxedo works better for you.” Ryan gave him a small smile, avoiding his dad’s eyes. Vance cuffed Ryan’s arm and started for the door.  
  
Ryan almost looked away to find something to preoccupy himself with, but he changed his mind and quickly said, “Thank you. For all of this. I never thought I’d…”  
  
His dad shifted from one foot to the other and tipped his head curiously. “Why not?”  
  
“Because? I figured it was something I couldn’t have. So, I tried not to think about it.”  
  
“Didn’t you just say you’ve always wanted it?”  
  
Ryan shrugged and fiddled with one of his cufflinks. “I wanted someone who’d love me. And only me forever. I didn’t think I’d get all of this. I didn’t even think I’d find… It means a lot to me. That you did this. I wanted you to know that.”  
  
His dad’s expression changed slowly, morphing into something soft and sad and bordering on regret. He strode with purpose toward Ryan and wrapped him in a clumsy hug, but then held tight.  
  
Ryan wasn’t even sure what to do. He lifted his arms uncertainly and tried not to hold on too much.  
  
His dad’s voice was just above a whisper and had the same sad quality as his expression. “You know I love you?”  
  
Pulling away, Ryan looked up into his dad’s face and felt struck with guilt. He patted his dad’s arm and hoped it was comforting. “Yeah, Dad. I know.”  
  
Vance straightened and let go. “You know it’s not conditional?”  
  
Ryan could only stare for a moment before he even thought of responding. Lightly, he smiled and quipped, “Even if I came to you now and asked you to buy me a dress?”  
  
“Even then,” Vance stated without any room for doubt or argument. Completely sobered, Ryan went back to his stare. “Do you really think I wouldn’t love you because of the clothes you wanted to wear?”  
  
Ryan shook his head. “It’s not that.” He looked down and twisted his fingers together. “I know you love me. And I know nothing would change that. I just wonder if maybe we would’ve gotten along better if things had been different. If I had been different.”  
  
“I think about that, too. Sometimes,” his dad said quietly.  
  
Ryan nodded and turned away, walking toward the mirror.  
  
“I would have liked if you came to me when you needed things.”  
  
Ryan stopped and looked back, tipping his head as he asked, “Really?” He watched his dad nod slowly and shove his hands in his pants pockets. Ryan searched for words for a moment, but all that came to him was, “I’m sorry.”  
  
Vance shook his head firmly and walked over. “I don’t think I ever made it clear that you could. So, just for the record? I don’t care if you want to wear a dress. I don’t care if you need to cry. I don’t care that you love other men. You’re a kind and talented person. You graduated from the most prestigious performance art school in the country. And I think you’re happy. And very much in love with a young man who’s also kind and talented.”  
  
Ryan blushed and pressed his lips together.  
  
“There’s nothing more I’d ever ask for,” his dad said with a slow smile. “Unless you’ve changed your mind about your mom and me walking you down the aisle. Because I will ask for that.”  
  
Ryan laughed and let out a breath that he felt like he’d been holding for years. He lifted his arms over his dad’s shoulders, feeling much more comfortable as he hugged him close this time. “I love you,” he promised.  
  
His dad was grinning when he pulled away and straightened Ryan’s hat and jacket. Ryan just rolled his eyes. “You’re sure he loves you?” Vance asked, inclining his head toward the door.  
  
Ryan’s gaze followed and he couldn’t help his slow, dreamy smile. After thinking for a moment, Ryan said, “The ring he gave me he bought just after I moved to New York. He didn’t tell me about it – he kept it to remind himself that someday… We’d have a someday.”  
  
“How’d you find that out?”  
  
“I asked him why he waited to find a car. He said he had to save up more. He took a good chunk of the money he earned working here and used it for that ring.”  
  
A quirky smile appeared on his dad’s face. “And you’re sure he’s not just saying that?”  
  
“He took Mom shopping with him. She was the one who told me. Anyway. I know he loves me. There aren’t that many guys who’d wait for years just to be with you.”  
  
“You waited, too.”  
  
“He’ll dance all night with me,” Ryan said simply, growing brighter by the second.  
  
“So, I should make sure the band plays ‘Ten Minutes Ago’ some time tonight?”  
  
Ryan laughed, “Sure.”  
  
“Okay, then consider it done,” Vance smiled as he walked to the door and stopped before he walked out. “I’m glad you found your Prince Charming.”  
  
Feeling himself blush, Ryan bit his lip and said, “Yeah, me too.” He looked up and with a wide grin. “Thanks, Dad.”  
  
“Anytime, Sunshine.”


End file.
